Warrenville couple always working to help the troops

It doesn't matter if the temperature is 90 degrees outside or if the ground is blanketed with snow, Warrenville residents Dave and Pam Lowe are always working toward the same goal.

The couple spends the entire year collecting items for the annual Holidays for Heroes drive, a fundraiser they began nine years ago to support the veterans at Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital.

It's a way to give back to both the hospital and the men and women who served our country, Pam Lowe said.

Her three brothers served in the military and her father was a longtime patient at Hines after returning from the Korean War with post-traumatic stress disorder and malaria.

Dave Lowe served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam with his brother, who was also a Hines patient.

"This is like a thank-you to all of them," Pam said. "The personal funding for Hines isn't very much. And it's like they took care of (our families), so let's do something to repay these guys."

Each year, the couple collects enough items like card games, calling cards, comfort items and winter accessories to create 90 to 120 bags for veterans. Then they personally deliver all of them.

When the program started nine years ago, they collected just $900 and purchased all gift items from dollar stores, Pam Lowe said. Since then, word has spread and now schools, community groups, Warrenville VFW Post 8081 and greater numbers of individual donors help out.

"It's really expanding," Pam said. "One year we had a bunch of ladies from a community group kitting lap blankets in the eating area of the St. Charles Walmart. We're always trying to think of different things."

This year, the Lowes recruited the help of Bower Elementary School in Warrenville, where each grade is collecting different items needed for the care packages. The students are competing to see which grade can collect the most of its item, and the winner earns a pizza party from the Lowes.

"We don't get tired of it," Pam said. "Every year it's like 'OK, let's keep going guys.'"

For anyone who wants to help, donation boxes are posted at these Warrenville locations: Fontana's Auto Repair, 28W265 Warrenville Road; Warrenville Restaurant and Pancake House, 2S505 Route 59; North Star Credit Union, 3S555 Winfield Road; and Warrenville VFW Post 8081, 3S371 Mignin Drive.

Items needed include: clothing (sweatpants, sweatshirts, new underwear, T-shirts and nonskid socks, white socks, winter hats and gloves); personal comfort items (deodorant, shaving cream, toothpaste, toothbrushes, lotion, denture cleaning tablets, denture adhesive, ChapStick, shampoo, nail clippers, and disposable razors); telephone calling cards; coffee; sugar packets; creamer; playing cards; and puzzle books. Monetary donations also are welcome.